Vegetable gardening could help improve the health of cancer survivors

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-06-21 01:00

International

Image by Ekaterina Ershova from Pixabay

Vegetable gardening could help improve the health of older cancer survivors, according to a randomised clinical trial by international researchers. The team found that for cancer survivors over the age of 50, maintaining a vegetable garden had significantly increased vegetable and fruit consumption, and experienced significant improvements in health and physical activity compared with waitlisted survivors not participating in vegetable gardening.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Alabama at Birmingham, US

Funder: This study was supported by grants R01CA201362, T32CA047888, R25CA076023, P30CA013148, P30DK56336, P30DK079626, K07AG043588, and UL1TR003096 from the NIH; grant CRP-19- 175-06-COUN from the American Cancer Society; and the Diana Dyer Endowment of the American Institute for Cancer Research. The Cawaco Resource, Conservation & Development Council, Hannah’s Garden Shop, and Johnny’s Selected Seeds donated seeds; Edgewell Personal Care, LLC, donated sunscreen; Safer Brand donated garden fungicide spray and insecticidal soap spray for each kit; ScottsMiracle-Gro donated tomato vegetable food for each kit and tomato plant food for raised bed kits; Sway Medical provided the balance testing app; andWalmart Charitable Community Giving donated various supplies. Private donors contributed to master gardener scholarships to sustain the program once funding had ended.

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